Simone Gesso, Duke of Padua
Beatrice, his Wife
Andreas Pollajuolo, Cardinal of Padua
Maffio Petrucci, }
Jeppo Vitellozzo, } Gentlemen of the Duke’s
Household
Taddeo Bardi, }
Guido Ferranti, a Young Man
Ascanio Cristofano, his Friend
Count Moranzone, an Old Man
Bernardo Cavalcanti, Lord Justice of Padua
Hugo, the Headsman
Lucy, a Tire woman
Servants, Citizens, Soldiers, Monks, Falconers with
their hawks and dogs, etc.
Place: Padua
Time: The latter half of the Sixteenth Century
Style of Architecture: Italian, Gothic and
Romanesque.
Act I. The Market Place of Padua (25 minutes).
Act II. Room in the Duke’s Palace
(36 minutes).
Act III. Corridor in the Duke’s Palace
(29 minutes).
Act IV. The Hall of Justice (31 minutes).
Act V. The Dungeon (25 minutes).
SCENE
The Market Place of Padua at noon; in the background
is the great Cathedral of Padua; the architecture
is Romanesque, and wrought in black and white marbles;
a flight of marble steps leads up to the Cathedral
door; at the foot of the steps are two large stone
lions; the houses on each aide of the stage have coloured
awnings from their windows, and are flanked by stone
arcades; on the right of the stage is the public fountain,
with a triton in green bronze blowing from a conch;
around the fountain is a stone seat; the bell of the
Cathedral is ringing, and the citizens, men, women
and children, are passing into the Cathedral.
[Enter Guido Ferranti and Ascanio Cristofano.]
Now by my life, Guido, I will go no farther; for if
I walk another step I will have no life left to swear
by; this wild-goose errand of yours!
[Sits down on the step of the fountain.]
I think it must be here. [Goes up to passer-by and
doffs his cap.] Pray, sir, is this the market place,
and that the church of Santa Croce? [Citizen bows.]
I thank you, sir.
Well?
Ay! it is here.
I would it were somewhere else, for I see no wine-shop.
[Taking a letter from his pocket and reading it.]
’The hour noon; the city, Padua; the place,
the market; and the day, Saint Philip’s Day.’
